This invention relates to a reusable liquid filtering system and a disposable liquid filter for use in the filtering system and more particularly to a reusable liquid filtering system and a disposable liquid filter for use with an internal combustion engine or pump.
Disposable oil filters are widely known and used on vehicles and are typically used with internal combustion engines. When the disposable oil filter has become clogged or when its filtering properties are no longer effective, the entire filter unit is removed from the engine and discarded. Because of anti-drain back features of such disposable filter units, a significant amount of oil remains within the filter unit when it is discarded.
The discarded filter units are often dumped into landfills. As the discarded filter units decompose, the dirty oil retained within the units is released into the landfill. This oil then contaminates the ground and water in and around the landfill. The ground and water contamination is a serious and widespread problem because large numbers of disposable oil filter units are dumped into landfills, and large amounts of oil are released into the environment.
Various types of disposable liquid filter elements are known for use with reusable liquid filtering systems. After the filter element has been in use for a period of time, the gradual accumulation of contaminants in the filter element reduces the efficiency and effectiveness of the filtering system and provides increased resistance to oil flow through the filter element. If the resistance to oil flow reaches a predetermined level, existing liquid filtering systems are provided with a pressure sensitive bypass valve which is activated so that oil bypasses the filter element and is returned essentially unfiltered to the engine. Typically, these pressure sensitive bypass valves are relatively complex in configuration.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a disposable liquid filter element which incorporates an oil bypass valve within the structure of the filter element.
Another object is to provide a disposable liquid filter element which incorporates a bypass valve that is relatively simple in construction.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a disposable liquid filter element which incorporates a bypass valve that is reliable in its operation.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a reusable liquid filtering system for use with internal combustion engines or pumps.
A still further object is to provide a reusable liquid filtering system which can be quickly and easily attached to and removed from an internal combustion engine or pump.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a reusable liquid filtering system that can be operated at less expense than the typical prior art disposable filtering unit.
Another object is to provide a reusable liquid filtering system which incorporates a disposable and replaceable filter therein.
Another object is to provide a reusable liquid filtering system for use with an internal combustion engine or pump wherein oil within the filtering system can be completely, quickly and easily drained in a neat and clean manner.
Still another object is to provide a reusable liquid filtering system for use with an internal combustion engine or pump wherein the filtering system can be removed from the engine or pump in a neat and clean manner without spilling oil from within the liquid filtering system.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.